Golf-ball marker



June 21, 1927.

J. E. M GINNESS GOLF BALL MARKER Filed July 13, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet l June 21, 1927.

J. E. MCGINNESS GOLF BALL MARKER Filed July 15. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 21, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GOLF-BALL MARKER.

Application fi-led July 13, 1926.

My invention consists of an improvement in golf ball markers. It has for its object to provide means for clamping the ball between opposed opening and closing rotatable holders, for positive pressing and feeding action against a slidably mounted row of printing or stamping type.

The device is provided with means for rotating the holders and ball, means for adjusting the holders to different diameters of ball, means for mounting the type for easy adjustment and movement, inking the type, and various other features of construction and advantage as hereinafter more fully described.

Referring to the drawings showing one preferred form of my invention,

Fig. 1 is a View of the golf ball marker in side elevation;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of Fig. 1;

Fi 3 is a similar view, showing one of the camping sides opened;

Fig. 4t is a cross-section on the line IV, IV, of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a perspective detail view of the traveling type holding carriage.

The machine as a whole consists of a sup porting frame 2, adapted to be mounted on a table or other suitable plane surface, having a longitudinally arranged top portion 3 extending from one end to the other. Supporting tracks 4, 4, for the type carriage are located at each side of a middle opening 5, which extends clear through one end of the machine, for free insertion, removal and reciprocating movement of the type carriage.

The latter consists of a rectangular box (3, having side rollers 7 mounted on the sides of the carriage for easy traveling movement along tracks 4.

Each roller 7 is mounted outwardly beyond a thin vertical bearing strip 32 which slides against the inner edge of the track at each side, reducing frictional engagement by the carriage.

Seria1 No. 122,148.

tween opposite concaved holders 12, 13, of rubber or other suitable material, capable of tightly grasping and holding the ball centrally between their inner annular concaved faces.

Each of said holders is mounted in a suitable receiving frame 14 carried by a iixed arm 15 and a laterally movable adjustable arm 16, each provided with gripping handles 17. The arm 16 is pivotally connected at 18 to an outwardly and inwardly adjustab-le arm member 19, similar to member 20 integral with the arm 15.

Members 19 and 20 are slidably mounted on cross pins 21, 21, carried between the upwardly extending side cheek members 22, 22, of the brackets 23, mounted upon the rear end of the top 3, as in Fig. 1.

Between the slide pins 21 is a right and left hand threaded adjusting screw sleeve 24, engaging similar threads in members 19 and 20 and provided with a middle knurled adjusting wheel 25. By turning said wheel in one direction or the other, the members 19 and 20 of the clamping arms may be brought together or extended, so as to vary the normal width between the ball clamps, for exact adjustment or to compensate for variation in size of the ball.

Sleeve 21, in the form of a threaded tube,

is journalled around a supporting cross pin 33 between outer bearings 3 1, 34, and members 22, 22. By such mounting it will be seen that the entire clamping mechanism may be thrown upwardly on the cross pin, in the manner of a hinge, for easier access to the printing carriage, etc.

Clamp 12 is rotatably mounted by its holding frame 1 1 in carrying arm 16, and held at the other side by collar 29, without any rotating mechanism, other than the frictional engagement of ball 11, when arm 16 is held inwardly against it. On the other hand the frame 14 of clamp 13 is extended laterally as indicated at 26, and is provided with a turning hand wheel 27, fixedly secured thereon by ring 28 and collar 29.

Upon rotating the hand wheel 27, when the ball .is gripped, it will be turned on a horizontal axis and in contact with the type 8. Suflicient rotation of the ball will move the type from one end to the other acrossthe surface of the 'ball, leaving the desired imprint.

The clamps 12 and 13 embrace the ball close to its maximum diameter, at each side of the middle marking space, thus ensuring ample grinning friction for rotation. The clanms bein "eferably resilient, tend to hold the ball tightly by cupping action thereon.

For the purpose of inking the type, an inking roller is pivotally mounted by a resilient holding frame 31 on the inner edge portion of the supporting frame for the screw adjusting mechanism, as clearly shown, by which the type are inked at each operation. The inking is partially effected by the movement imparted to the printing carriage by the ball, and may he also manipulated by hand for its entire length, if de sired.

In operation, the side holding member 16 being opened as in Fig. 3, the ball may be placed in position, the holding member is then closed against it, and the grips 17 are engaged by one hand of the user. With the other hand, wheel 27 is rotated, effecting the marking, after which the ball may be removed.

By bearing down upon the grips 17, the ball may be pressed against the type sufii ciently to insure good contact, as it is rotated.

The machine as a whole is extremely simple, very etficient, and rapid and effective in action.

It will be understood that the device may be used for marking other balls, or objects having curved surfaces, by adapting it to different sizes, and that it may be changed or varied in detail construction or otherwise by the skilled mechanic, Within the principle of its operation.

What I claim is:

1. A golf ball marker comprising a supporting frame, a ball clamp thereon, a freely movable type carriage, and means independent of the type carriage for rotating the ball clamp.

2. A golf ball marker comprising a supporting frame, a ball clamp thereon, a freely movable type carriage, and means independent of the type carriage for rotating the ball clamp with a ball therein in contact with the type of the carriage.

3. A golf ball marker comprising a supporting frame, a ball clamp thereon having a hinged side member, a freely movable type carriage, and means forming a portion of the ball clamp for rotating the ball clamp.

4. A golf ball marker comprising a supporting frame, a laterally separable upwardly and downwardly swinging ball clamp thereon having means associated therewith for rotating the clamp and ball, and a freely movable type carriage on the frame.

5. In a golf ball marker, a supporting frame havin a longitudinal trackway, a type carriage thereon, a pair of clamping arms each having a ball engaging portion, and a turning Wheel connected with one of said portions.

6. In a golf ball marker, a supporting frame having a longitudinal trackway, a type carriage thereon, a pair of clamping arms each having a rotatable inwardly concaved ball engaging clamp, means providing rotatable bearing for each of said clamps, and a turning device for one of said clamps.

7. In a golf ball marker, at supporting frame having a longitudinal trackway, a type carriage thereon, a pair of clamping arms each having a ball engaging portion, means providing lateral adjustment for the clamping arms, and a turning wheel connected with one of the ball engaging portions.

8. In a golf ball marker, a supporting frame having a longitudinal trackway, a type carriage thereon, a pair of clamping arms each having a ball engaging portion, means providing lateral adjustment for the clamping arms, a hinged joint in one arm, and a turning wheel for the clamp of the other arm.

9. The combination with a supporting frame having a longitudinal open center trackway and a pivoting cross pin at one end, of a type carriage on the trackway, a pair of clamping arms each having a ball engaging clamp, means for rotating one of said clamps, and a laterally adjusting screw sleeve on the cross pin engaging the end portions of the arms.

10. The combination with a supporting frame having a longitudinal open center trackway and a pivoting cross pin at one end, of a type carriage on the trackway, a pair of clamping arms each having a ball engaging clamp, a laterally opening hinge joint in one of said arms, means for rotating the clamp in one of said arms, and a laterally adjusting screw sleeve on the cross pin engaging the end portions of the arms.

11. In combination with a supporting frame having a longitudinally movable type carriage and a supporting cross pin having an adjusting threaded sleeve thereon, a pair of clamping arms having threaded connec tion with said sleeve for lateral adjustment and vertical pivoting movement, a freely rotatable ball clamp in one of said arms, and a positively rotatable ball clamp in the other of said arms.

12. In combination with a supporting frame having a longitudinally movable type carriage and a supporting cross pin having an adjusting threaded sleeve thereon, a pair of clamping arms having threaded connection with said sleeve for lateral adjustment and vertical pivoting movement, a. freely rotatable ball clamp and a hinge joint in one of said arms, and a positively rotatable ball clamp in the other of said arms having a turning hand Wheel.

13. A laterally adjustable hinge mounting for the inner ends of the clamping arms of a golf ball marker consisting of outer bearings, a cross shaft, a threaded sleeve thereon having a turning Wheel, a frame pivoted on the cross shaft provided with guide pins,

and portions of side clamping arms mounted signature.

JOSEPH E. MOGINNESS. 

